외국MC 순위..Top Fifty Emcees

미국mc 언더포함... 50위까지 순위라는데...ㅋㅋㅋ 몰르는 사람이 많네여...ㅋㅋㅋ 해석좀 해주시겠어여 ㅡㅡ^ Top Fifty Emcees 1. Common Although his status as the world's best emcee is now a somewhat debatable issue, as opposed to being unwritten law, Common still has enough lyrical firepower to garner the coveted top spot on Hip Hop Infinity's Top 50 Emcees list. While the venerable, but largely unknown, Sage Francis is certainly an arguable contender for #1, Common dropped a third consecutive classic this year with Like Water For Chocolate. Despite being unfairly labeled a disappointment by some, Like Water For Chocolate was a slight lyrical step down (or sideways as Jay likes to say) from his previous efforts. What he sacrificed in lyrical prowess, however, he more than made up for in artistry. Quite simply, Common redefined what it means to be a hip hop artist. The music that accompanied him on this album was the apex of the soul resurgence that was heard on several other recent albums. The mind-bending wordplay of previous albums was replaced with songs like "The Light" and "Song For Assata," which were lyrically and musically powerful in a way that few emcees can match. This year, Common finally achieved the long deserved and much overdue mainstream success that tends to elude so many of our talented artists. "The Light" was a video and radio hit, propelling Like Water For Chocolate to Gold status-- selling more than all his previous albums combined. Curiously, Com's "The Light" was often found positioned between the latest from the Cash Money Millionaires and Ruff Ryderz on BET's Rap City Countdown; surely, it was some sort of cosmic joke from the hip hop gods, but I'll still count it as a victory. Common's #1 status is now being threatened by an unlikely candidate-- a whoremonger from the hip hop hotbed of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Will Sage be able to topple the Windy City genius in 2001? (Words by FuseONE) 2. Sage Francis Sage Francis combines the brilliant poetics of Sole, the multi-syllabic rhyme structures of Eminem, the abstract conceptualism of a young Pharaohe Monch, and the raw, emotional soul of Common; but it isn't fair to compare him to these emcees-- they should be compared to him. Easily the most well-rounded emcee alive, Sage can go from being comically misogynist to revolutionary, and flip back to make a song about dealing with his father's death, without missing a beat. His raspy voice is unmistakable, and his delivery is flawless. On top of all this, he is an accomplished freestyler and battle emcee, a nationally recognized spoken-word artist, and does lead-vocals for a popular New England hip hop band. How could anyone have the audacity to say he's not well-rounded? Sage will be releasing his "official" debut album on Anticon Records in the summer of 2001, and it will once and for all cement his status as hip hop's greatest talent. Though he already has diverse classics like "Majority Rule," "Bounce," "All Word, No Play," and "Mullet" under his belt; tracks like "Inherited Scars," "Climb Trees," "Crack Pipes," and "Broken Wings" will catapult him into a new level of underground acclaim. Despite his appearance and all the rumors, Sage Francis is in fact, still quite young. Remarkably, he continues to improve when it seems he could not possibly get any better. Look for Sage to occupy HHI's #1 spot for the next five years or more. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 3. Slug Since the heyday of the likes of KRS ONE, Rakim, and even Common, there have been very few emcees held in such high esteem as Slug of Atmosphere is now. One of the reasons for Slug's popularity is his exclusive ability to write so vividly about a subject we all-- irrespective of race and age-- can relate to: life. In addition, Slug's quirkily cocky, dope delivery is of aid in getting his message across efficiently. Even though Slug had appeared on various cassette-only releases, it wasn't until 1997's Atmosphere's full-length album that this Minnesota native became the first-class emcee he's considered today. Overcast! was a lyrical masterpiece. Songs like "Scapegoat," "Sound Is Vibration," and the EP-only cut "God's Bathroom Floor" wonderfully showcased his tremendous skill to effortlessly write about complex matters in a not-so obscure manner. However, the Anticon LP, and Slug's brisk childhood story "Nothing But Sunshine," were required to wake some heads from their sleep, and make them want to make themselves familiar with Slug's older work. The recent Deep Puddle Dynamics album further strengthened his ties with the Anticon collective, and reaffirmed his position in the highest echelon of emcees. So, even Slug fans who aren't too keen on Anticon must admit that their influence on Sluggo's career has been clearly positive. Slug's skill to write songs about the female gender is without equal. One could say that the highly conceptual songs "The Woman With the Tattooed Hands," "Abusing of the Rib," and the painfully realistic "Primer" present Slug at his finest, but in reality, you'll have a hard time naming his weak spots. Regardless of subject, Slug is guaranteed to paint pictures full of life in your mental. What makes Slug's career as an emcee even more interesting is that he's a lot older than emcees in their prime tend to be. Usually, emcees fall off way before they reach thirty, but it seems as Slug, at the age of twenty-eight, hasn't even reached his peak yet. Maybe it's his maturity that makes listening to his work so delightful. You can hear in Slug's raps that he's been through a lot, and lost some of his gullibility somewhere along the road, and ultimately, that is what makes him so dope. (Words by Peter Matekovits) 4. Sole Finally, Bottle of Humans was officially released in late August of 2000-- nearly a full year after its intended release date. Was it worth the wait? Of course! As perhaps the most ground-breaking album in the history of hip hop lyricism, year delay or not, Bottle of Humans and its creator are still light-years ahead of their time. "Can't say that I'm ahead of my time, I fear that my time will never come." Some will never get down with Sole's non-rhyming, abstract poetic style. Some will never be feeling his unorthodox, though impassioned delivery. Does this make him any less of an emcee? I think not. As the patriarch of the avant-garde movement, Sole has paved the way for artists like Sage Francis, Dose-One, Buck 65, and even Slug, to gain a wider fan-base. Yes, they were all around before him, but was anyone talking about them? Sole possesses the charisma to get people talking, and even though the majority of the talk may be negative, it is this charisma that separates him from his counterparts. Sole spits every syllable from his lips as if it were the most profound in the history of art, and though we may not always be able to interpret his words, we can appreciate the passion behind them. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 5. Eminem In 2000, Eminem released the album all of us had hoped he would have in 1999. The Marshall Mathers LP was a deeply personal and stylistically variant album backed with excellent production orchestrated by the legendary Dr. Dre. Since the LP dealt with Eminem's reaction to instant fame, perhaps the vastly inferior Slim Shady LP needed to be made first, but along the way, Eminem permanently lost some of his long-time underground fans. Oh well, their loss. Yes, Eminem has made some artistic concessions to get where he's at. We would have all liked to see him spit in Fred Durst's face, turn down a collabo opportunity with Missy, make a diss song about all the mainstream rappers we hate, and beat the shit out of Carson Daily on MTV-- but the remarkable thing is how little he has sold out. Eminem continues to make his art a priority, and considering all the money that's in front of him, all of the influences that would indicate it really doesn't matter how good his music is, that's something he should be lauded for. Em is still one of the finest lyricists in hip hop, regardless of whether the media lumps him in the same pile as the Backstreet Boys, Kid Rock, or whoever else. The Marshall Mathers LP showed a lot of growth and development for Eminem, but what's next for him? It cannot be doubted that he possesses the talent to climb to the top of this list in the future, but the more likely scenario would have him dropping down, or even off of the list. Will he surprise us again? (Words by Jay Seagraves) 6. Mos Def Lyrical connoisseurs may shake their heads, but Mos Def embodies all aspects of hip hop better than anyone else. He is the total package, with an unparalleled delivery, honest personality, and a willingness to be eclectic and experimental. Even though his talents reach beyond simply rhyming, songs like "Umi Says" and "Rock and Roll" carry a hip hop perspective to new areas of music. He brings back memories of the "golden age" of abstract rap, when Tribe and De La were leading the way. But Mos has built off of them to make his own music even more far-reaching. Mos Def is committed to his cause better than anyone in the industry. In the past year, we have seen him organize the Hip Hop For Respect project, combining many of the world's greatest emcees to raise awareness about police brutality. Who else could undertake this project with so much dedication and make it successful? The list is short: KRS-One and Chuck D, maybe. Pretty good company to be in. But most of all, Mos Def is committed to taking hip hop to a higher level. After the solid Blackstar album in 1998, many fans weren't sure how Mos would sound without partner Talib Kweli. Could anybody have suspected the soulfulness on Black on Both Sides? It was a landmark album, not only because it was one of the best hip hop albums in the last 3 years, but because it achieved gold status and propelled Mos Def into the mainstream eye. He became the quintessential b-boy, and the unrivaled leader of the Rawkus label. You can already see his influence wearing off on those he works with; there is now a whole neo-soul movement. And with a second Blackstar album due out in the upcoming year, the pressure will be on Mos Def to expand his rapidly-growing legacy. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 7. Talib Kweli With the expectations unreasonably high for Talib Kweli's Reflection Eternal album, many underground heads inevitably stated that it wasn't what they hoped it would be. However, this is unfair. He delivered the album that we wanted hear, but many of us were too busy looking for chinks in his artistic armor instead of just enjoying what he gave us. Thankfully, though, it seems that on the heels of Common and Mos Def's time in the spotlight, Talib himself is on the brink of the widespread commercial success that he so deserves. While the Rawkus propaganda machine has anointed Mos Def as hip hop's savior, it's Talib who has dropped gem after gem, and manages not to contradict his ideals in the process. He is the rare performer who actually seems to live by the positivity that he exudes on record. Although his delivery may not be everyone's cup of tea, it's hard to argue with his sincerity. What does the future hold for Talib Kweli? This is a tough call. When you start out your career by releasing near-classic albums, it's the rare emcee who doesn't subsequently fall on his face. Even though it's hard to imagine Talib putting out anything that is less than stellar, we've certainly seen stranger things happen. Let's hope he has the foresight to keep this from happening. (Words by FuseONE) 8. Gift of Gab (Blackalicious) It takes all kinds of skills to be considered one of the top ten emcees out of the tens of thousands out there. Plenty of kids have good voices, and even if they never see the light of day, there are surely lots of notebooks stashed away in backpacks that contain incredible poetry. But you don't hear anyone like Gift of Gab. Not one other rapper, established or aspiring. The Solesides-turned-Quannum collective has been producing great music for years, and it's finally getting some recognition. The crew's other main rap act, Latryx, is also among the most creative in the industry, but they just can't compete with Gab and producer Chief XCel. These two, under the name Blackalicious, gave us one of the most original albums of 2000 in NIA. Whether Gift of Gab is flipping alliterations ("Alphabet Aerobics") or telling fantasy tales ("Cliffhanger"), he leaves listeners amazed. When he gets serious, as he does on "Deception" and "Sleep," the results are equally breathtaking. Gift of Gab, like most of the other top emcees, has it all. Production help from the likes of XCel and DJ Shadow only increases his potential. Those who purchased NIA understand what he can do, and the group's first EP, Melodica, contains some of the most slept-on gems ever. Listen to "Swan Lake" and "Lyric Fathom." This man is a pure entertainer, and that makes it exciting to anticipate what he'll come up with next. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 9. Pharoahe Monch Pharoahe Monch has the most ridiculous flow ever. He should be head-and-shoulders above anyone else on this list, and yet it irks me to even see him this high after the disappointment of Internal Affairs. Still, it's impossible to rank him any lower. He and Prince Po were experimenting with concepts before anyone else. Completely ignored by the commercial world in the early nineties, listeners who know them today rank Organized Konfusion among the top groups of all-time. I jumped on the bandwagon late. But after being so impressed by Pharoahe's guest appearances and his work on Equinox, I went back and purchased O.K.'s self-titled debut, eight years after it's original release. I was speechless. Actually, I was laughing as I tried to compare that CD to others of the same time period. If you've heard the album, just think about Pharoahe, then think about how people like Main Source were rapping in 1991. In retrospect, Organized Konfusion was ahead of it's time by several years. So what makes Pharoahe worthy of such a high ranking today? Well, forget about Internal Affairs if that is at all possible. Nearly every one of his compilation tracks or guest appearances has been stellar. He continues to develop his style to the point where he remains light-years ahead of his colleagues. And walking through a record store, he is still one of the few names that demands curiosity and makes you stop to think, "That could possibility be the most incredible record I've ever I've ever heard." (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 10. Dose-One Easily the most prolific of the top ten emcees, Dose-One has been a major party to no less than seven albums in the last three years. Though Dose's trademark style can never be mistaken for that of another's, each release has been distinctly different from its predecessor. Ranging from the almost "normal" Hemispheres in 1998, to the indescribable Circle of late 2000, Dose can easily be considered the most avant-garde of the avant-garde. Dose-One's lyrics, though mind-bogglingly complex and metaphoric, beg to be interpreted. Songs like the incomparable "it's them" still have listeners searching for meaning, and enjoying the soundscape all the while. More than his unwillingness to be bound by artistic convention, or even his astounding poeticism, it is Dose's delivery that makes him such an excellent emcee. Literally fusing his instantly recognizable voice with its musical backdrop, Dose is the living personification of rhythm. Though his lyrics are over the most astute of hip hop heads, music is the universal language, and we can all appreciate what Dose is able to accomplish in the vocal booth. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 11. Aesop Rock Back when last year's list was compiled, Aesop Rock was making some noise on the Internet and around NYC. However, he was still essentially anonymous. Fast forward to this year, and a new record deal with Mush. Despite some heads fronting on the beats, Float was the lyrical masterpiece that we knew Aesop would deliver. The poetic brilliance he displays on one song rivals that of many emcees' careers. His true greatness is only revealed upon repeat listens, as you finally catch up to what he's saying. Some may balk at the fact that his delivery remains virtually identical on every song, but as a wise man once said, if it ain't broke, why fix it? (Words by FuseONE) 12. Del the Funky Homosapien In and out of the public eye since the early nineties, most people will agree that Del is an above average emcee. 2000 was a busy year for him, which turned out to be both good and bad. His solo release, Both Sides of the Brain, drew mixed reviews from critics and listeners, but was generally acknowledged as not up to his usual standard. He fought back, combining with Dan the Automator and Kid Koala to form Deltron. This wildly innovative and entertaining album has been labeled by some as the best of the year. A lot of the credit must go to the production, but Del held up his end of the bargain as well. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 13. The Grouch The Grouch's voice communicates a pain and a longing for fulfillment, that all listeners can relate to. He's a very prolific artist, serving up one solo album per year, along with a variety of side projects. The Grouch has also remained true to his independent ideals for the last five years, keeping it underground, and as an unfortunate side effect, hella broke as well. The Grouch's influence on today's introspective and poetic emcees cannot be doubted, and as he continues to make excellent music in his own right, his position in the top fifteen emcees cannot be denied. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 14. Aceyalone Most of the individuals in Freestyle Fellowship have had incredibly consistent careers. Possibly the best member of the crew, Aceyalone, can be associated to no less than three classic albums. The impact of two of the most ground-breaking albums of all-time, Freestyle Fellowship's To Whom It May Concern and Innercity Griots, can clearly be detected today, as they helped mold, or arguably, even defined the sound we now know as experimental west-coast hip hop. Aceyalone's contributions were critically essential to the FF albums, as well as 1995's highly innovative Project Blowed compilation, but it was the conceptual masterpiece A Book Of Human Language that forced all hip hop enthusiasts to finally take notice of this poet extraordinaire. Aceyalone's intelligence, his amazing style, and immeasurable charisma make him one of the best emcees today, and if Acey is only able to retain the quality of his previous endeavors, he will soon, if not already, be mentioned among the greatest emcees ever. (Words by Peter Matekovits) 15. Last Emperor The story of Last Emperor floating from label to label without releasing an album is indeed a tearjerker. He is like one of those playground legends who is admired by his peers, but may never make it in the pro ranks. When copies of an unreleased Last Emp album began floating around, it instantly became one of the most anticipated albums of the year. He uses a wide range of concepts and pop-culture punchlines that everyone can appreciate. Unfortunately, we still don't know if we'll ever be able to pick up a real Last Emp CD rather than a bootlegged version. Let's hope so-- this is an artist that deserves our support more than anybody. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 16. Chino XL The master of the poor-taste punchline has, in just a few appearances in recent years, shown himself to be good for more than just witty one-liners. Chino's mic presence is commanding, and he has shown himself to be far more versatile than many would like to give him credit for. A few months ago, The Wakeup Show phoned him early in the morning, and though barely awake, Chino ripped in to an amazingly poetic and emotional verse, closing the conversation by saying "That didn't even make the album." All those who pigeonholed him-- watch out in 2001. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 17. Buck 65 Some may not like his voice, but Buck 65 is a true mastermind, and one of hip hop's elite artists. Whether communicating complex concepts in the guise of sexual humor, or telling the story of a baseball game, Buck's word-play is among hip hop's best. His signature sound is as endearing to his fans as it is annoying to his detractors, and though this has no bearing on his position as HHI's seventeenth best emcee, he is also one of the world's best producers, as well. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 18. Illogic Illogic is yet another newcomer that came out of nowhere (Columbus, Ohio, more specifically) to land himself a spot in the top twenty-five. The lyrically flawless Unforeseen Shadows could very well be his Slim Shady EP. Composing ill punchlines ("Me vs. Myself," "Blaow!") and jaw-dropping poetics ("Angel," "Hate In a Puddle") on the same album is an easy task for Illogic. Is this a hint at future commercial success? (Words by FuseONE) 19. Murs Nowadays, it seems like the majority of underground rappers share similar outlooks on making music, and ostensibly, life in general, as well. Fortunately, Living Legends' Murs has been able to avoid the predictability other hip hop icons often fall prey to by introducing a surprising, new side to him with each of his countless releases. Some might not always agree with what he says (see "Nigga"), but you have to respect the man for his outspoken honesty that has been a crucial trait in Murs's work since his Log Cabin days. With remarkable skill in all areas of emceeing-- highlighted by one of hip hop's finest deliveries-- Murs is one of the best all-around emcees at the moment. (Words by Peter Matekovits) 20. Ras Kass Ras Kass hates a lot of people. He hates Christians, he hates homosexuals, and his opinions of women and white people aren't too high either. He would hate most of his fans if he met them, and yet we love him in return. Despite being one of the biggest hypocrites in hip hop, Ras Kass is an intelligent person and a fabulous lyricist. Rassassination was one of the worst disasters of the late nineties, but as Ras continues to have his inner-debate between morals and making money, his third album will still be highly anticipated by his underground following. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 21. Black Thought Black Thought is a different kind of emcee-- the kind of emcee that's not so in your face, grabbing his crotch, saying "look at me, I'm #1!" Rhyming with hip hop's premier band, his incredibly solid presence is often overlooked in favor of the more spectacular, musical aspects of The Roots. Hopefully, his upcoming solo LP will give this man with one of hip hop's finest deliveries, and excellent lyrical skills, a chance to shine on his own. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 22. Dre (Outkast) Like Organized Konfusion of the early nineties, Outkast was the most experimental group of the second-half of the decade. With four very good albums under their belt, Kast is now getting votes for best duo of all-time, and they will continue to have success for several years to come. Dre is the bigger artist of the two, capable of rhyming to please the party crowd, or gain the respect of more critical music fans. His crazy outfits, unusual personality, and relationship with Erykah Badu have made him a national celebrity. But it is his one-of-a-kind delivery and insistence on pushing the musical envelope that got him on this list. (Words by Joe Kostelnik) 23. Eyedea Imagine a Tiger Woods-like figure, completely dominating a given sport with relative ease, at a very young age. Now imagine if golf wasn't even Woods' main sport? This is how dope of an emcee Eyedea is, who is the Tiger Woods/ Michael Jordan of battle rhyming, and it's not even his forte! Though his debut 12-inch left a little to be desired, at the age of eighteen, it cannot be doubted that his greatest works are ahead of him. I would not be very surprised if Eyedea is ranked in the top ten by next year, and the top three by the following. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 24. Wicked Nut (Fermented Reptile) Eighteen months ago, no one outside of Winnipeg had heard of Fermented Reptile. But due to the remarkable skills of their front-man, Wicked Nut, not only is Fermented Reptile being counted among the best groups in hip hop, but the entire Peanuts & Corn family have achieved a fair share of notoriety. With his upcoming solo album (under the name of Pip Skid), the man described by Sole as "the last political rapper who gives a fuck" is set to move up into the ranks of the world's greatest emcees. (Words by Jay Seagraves) 25. Abstract Rude Ab Rude is certainly one of the most soulful emcees breathing. He has an unparalleled ability to bring words to life with his stunning delivery. As one of the pioneers of the LA underground scene, he's already a true hip hop legend. (Words by Peter Matekovits) 26. L'Roneous Most of those who heard Imaginarium were thoroughly impressed. L'Roneous left his label and hasn't given us much lately, but songs like "L'Chemy" and his appearance on Sole's album make him deserving of a spot here. (Joe Kostelnik) 27. Rakim Though most would disagree with me, I still think Rakim is one of the world's best emcees. The Eighteenth Letter was one of the best albums of '97, and though a step down, The Master was as lyrically solid as one could expect. Although I'm not exactly hopeful for his new album on Aftermath, so long as he stays away from contrived collabos (no one should ever share the mic with The R!), and sticks to his steelo, Rakim will continue to please his core audience. (Jay Seagraves) 28. Boots Riley Boots is perhaps the weakest lyricist of HHI's top thirty emcees, but a tremendous emcee, nevertheless. His vocal presence is 100% on-point, and he's incredibly versatile. From a comedic track like "Cars and Shoes" all the way to one of the most brilliant and profound works in hip hop history, "Me and Jesus the Pimp in a '79 Granada Last Night," Boots is definitely a great artist. (Jay Seagraves) 29. Josh Martinez The Halifax native dropped his third release this year with Skribble 100, to much praise from underground critics. The awe-inspiring epic "Deny" would be a career feat for any hip hop artist, but for Josh, it seems like just the beginning. (FuseONE) 30. Eligh When talking about the most poetic rappers, many forget to include Eligh-- the Living Legend whose talent to eloquently string words together is without equal. His rapid delivery is also top-notch, and if he only lived up to his potential, a classic album wouldn't be an impossibility. (Peter Matekovits) 31. Mikah 9 There must be something about the drinks they serve at Project Blowed, since so many of the emcees who started out at the workshop have such an incredible way of delivering their words. Even when put next to world-class emcees, like Ab Rude and Aceyalone on the Haiku De Tat album, Mikah 9 is able to easily hold his own, sometimes even outshining his highly talented counterparts. (Peter Matekovits) 32. ADeeM One of the top three freestylers, ADeeM finally made his semi-professional recording debut as 1/3 of The Dorian Three. Of the four Scribble Jam champions (the others being JUICE, Eydea, and Sage), ADeeM is the only to not have at least a 12-inch out. Hopefully, that will change in 2001. (Jay Seagraves) 33. Kool G Rap In 1995, Kool G Rap made his big comeback with the dud, 4, 5, 6. I guess people weren't checking for his '98 album, Roots of Evil, because no one seems to realize it was one of the best lyrical offerings of that year. Now in 2001, he'll be coming back again, this time on Rawkus. Let's just hope they don't force him to collaborate with JT Money or Pastor Troy. (Jay Seagraves) 34. Big Boi (Outkast) Often overlooked in favor of his more artsy counterpart, Big Boi possesses one of hip hop's finest deliveries. Sometimes pigeonholed as a "pimp" rapper, Big Boi is oftentimes just as poetic and meaningful as his more acclaimed partner. (Jay Seagraves) 35. Ikon the Verbal Hologram (Jedi Mind Tricks) Never have so many HHI readers been enraged as when the new Jedi Mind Tricks album came out. The boards were littered with, "Ikon has turned into a thug!" Plain and simple, people overreacted. He still quotes ancient historical texts, still has that authoritative voice and delivery, and is still backed by one of the best producers in the biz. (Joe Kostelnik) 36. Necro Necro is one of the best multi-syllabic rhyme writers, one of the most vivid story-tellers, and one of the best producers, in hip hop. He is picking up where Kool G Rap left off, and taking rap into the deep recesses of his perverse mind. As the only emcee to ever get props from HHI and also Murder Dog, Necro must also be one of hip hop's most diverse talents. (Jay Seagraves) 37. Kunga 219 Equally poetic and strong with his delivery, Kunga 219 is one of the most overlooked emcees in hip hop. With a total of four albums under his belt, people just started taking notice with Dream Sequence, and later, his spoken-word project, Tharpa's Transcripts. Hopefully in the new year, Kunga will achieve a similar level of acclaim as his fellow Halfiax hip hoppers, Buck 65, Sixtoo, and Josh Martinez. (Jay Seagraves) 38. Breezley Bruin It's a travesty that the Bruin does not garner more respect. He got a little exposure on Prince Among Thieves and Hip Hop for Respect, but still draws a minimal fan-base. Hopefully, 2001 will bring more material from him, and at least more backpackers will start to notice. (Joe Kostelnik) 39. Chops (Mountain Brothers) It's been a couple of years since the Mountain Brothers' album was released, but the well-learned hip hop heads haven't forgotten about Chops and his ever-fresh, laid-back vocals. Lack of material is holding him back at the moment, but the recent compilation cut "Community" furthermore proved that Chops has the potential to compete with the best of emcees. (Peter Matekovits) 40. Offwhyte Offwhyte combines creative poeticism with a unique voice and strong delivery-- in my opinion, he should have been much higher on this list. With only one album under his belt, the young emcee has his best work ahead of him, and plenty of time to win over those who aren't feeling him just yet. (Jay Seagraves) 41. El-P The long awaited follow-up release to Funcrusher Plus will have to come in the form of a El-P solo, as underground legends Company Flow announced their break up earlier this year. However, his recent split 12-inch with Cannibal Ox would seem indicative of good things to come for El-P. (FuseONE) 42. Posdonous While many of the legends of his time have either fallen off or sold out, Posdonous is still running strong. His capability to write about grave issues without sounding too serious, and his skillful wordplay may even allow him to rise on the list, when the next, "more lyrical," volume of De La Soul's AOI series is released. (Peter Matekovits) 43. Cee-Lo (Goodie Mob) A couple of years ago, he was a brilliant voice for conscious hip hop. Lately he has resorted to mostly singing on guest appearances, and making bounce-rap. The last Goodie Mob album was a disaster, but he is capable of bouncing back. (Joe Kostelnik) 44. J-Live Similar to Last Emperor, J-Live seems to have a lot of fans, but not enough released material. The Best Part was critically acclaimed, but then the public couldn't get it's hands on it, and the hype began to die out. Thankfully, it was finally put out through Triple Threat. (Joe Kostelnik) 45. Alias The fourth member of Deep Puddle Dynamics is by far the least prolific. With only two or three solo songs under his belt, he has scored one monumental classic-- "Divine Disappointment." This track seems to indicate the potential for a greatness similar to that of Sole, Slug, and Dose, but until we hear more from him, he'll have to stay towards the bottom of the list. (Jay Seagraves) 46. Xzibit Though he has released two near-classic albums in his career, Xzibit's latest is a complete and sad joke. His vocal presence is still strong, but his soul has been stifled by the allure of potential wealth, and his lyricism been dumbed-down by excess "DNA" and even worse influences (Snoop Dogg, etc.) (Jay Seagraves) 47. MF Doom The masterpiece, Operation Doomsday established MF Doom as one of the most unique and talented artists in hip hop. However, his recent split 12-inch had him outshined by partner, MF Grimm. Let's hope Doom can deliver in 2001. (Jay Seagraves) 48. Planet Asia Asia is now signed to Interscope, and needs to fulfill some of the huge potential that critics see in him. His solo work, as well as collaborations with Zion I and Rasco, have been mediocre to slightly above-average. Expect better things to come when he begins working with more experienced producers. (Joe Kostelnik) 49. Esoteric I'm not sure how Esoteric made it to the list, and not Mr. Lif, but regardless, Eso has the potential to rank much higher. What exactly happened after the stellar "Def Rhymes" 12-inch? (Jay Seagraves) 50. Bumpy Knuckles In the sphere of hip hop that values raw thuggish authenticity above all else, Bumpy Knuckles is the world's best emcee. Unfortunately, the authors of this list have a different set of values-- the fact that Bumpy can still make this list at all, shows exactly how dope he is. (Jay Seagraves)